Ottawa Redblacks take Purdue offensive lineman Vaccaro first overall in CFL draft

Canadian offensive lineman Giordano Vaccaro poses in this undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout — Levi Blustein, CFL.ca (Mandatory Credit)

TORONTO — The Ottawa Redblacks selected Purdue offensive lineman Giordano Vaccaro first overall in the CFL draft Tuesday night.

The six-foot-two, 307-pound Winnipeg native spent 2025 at Purdue, appearing in all 12 games and seeing action on offence and special teams. He played 22 snaps in the Boilermakers’ season finale, a 56-3 loss to eventual NCAA champion Indiana on Nov. 28.

Vaccaro spent his first three collegiate campaigns at Manitoba, cracking the Bisons’ starting lineup as an 18-year-old freshman. Twice he was an all-Canadian (2023, ’24) and in 2024 was U Sports football’s top down lineman before transferring to Purdue.

The Toronto Argonauts followed by selecting Queen’s offensive lineman Nicklas Henning. The six-foot-six, 298-pound Milton, Ont., native was an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) all-star and second-team all-Canadian last year for the Yates Cup champions.

Henning began his college career as a tight end. He recently accepted invitations to attend the Indianapolis Colts and Las Vegas Raiders rookie mini-camps.

The Edmonton Elks took Rutgers linebacker Dariel Djabome third overall. The six-foot-two, 237-pound Montreal native appeared in 12 games last season, recording 71 tackles (27 solo, 4.5 for loss), two sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Djabome appeared in 47 career games at Rutgers, registering 192 tackles (81 solo, 13 for loss) with 5.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a pass knockdown.

Then at No. 4, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers took Wake Forest defensive lineman Nuer Gatkuoth. The six-foot-three, 237-pound Edmonton native recorded 39 tackles (17 solo, 8.5 for loss), six sacks and a forced fumble in 12 games last season.

Gatkuoth began his NCAA career at Colorado State (2022-24). He recently accepted an invitation to the Denver Broncos’ rookie mini-camp.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats then took Jonathan Denis, an offensive lineman at Louisiana Tech with the fifth selection. The six-foot-three, 316-pound Denis played 12 games at right guard last year and was born in Montreal but raised in Florida.

With the sixth selection, the Calgary Stampeders took Angelo State linebacker Eric Rascoe. He was a three-time All-Conference selection at Division II Angelo State, registering 225 tackles (20 for loss) and 8.5 sacks over five seasons.

The six-foot-one, 210-pound Rascoe spent time with the San Antonio Gunslingers of the Indoor Football League (IFL) and became eligible for the CFL draft as his mother is Canadian.

The B.C. Lions then selected North Dakota receiver Nathan DeMontagnac with the seventh selection. The six-foot-three, 186-pound Mississauga, Ont., native recorded 38 catches for 462 yards and two TDs with the Fighting Hawks in 2025.

The Montreal Alouettes made the first future selection at No. 8 with Arkansas tight end Rohan Jones, who signed with the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent Saturday. Jones had 19 catches for 519 yards and four touchdowns last season when the Montreal native started four-of-12 games.

The six-foot-two, 235-pound Jones played at Montana State in 2024, recording 30 receptions for 470 yards and nine touchdowns to earn first-team All-Big Sky honours.

The Grey Cup-champion Saskatchewan Roughriders completed the first round at No. 9 by taking Michigan State defensive back Malcolm Bell. The Montreal native started 11-of-12 games last season, recording 33 tackles (five for loss), one sack and four pass knockdowns.

Bell began his NCAA career at UConn (2921-24), appearing in 34 games and registering 94 tackles (four for loss) and 13 pass knockdowns. Bell recently accepted an invitation to the Cleveland Browns’ rookie mini-camp.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2026.

The Canadian Press